Jose Reyes gets mixed reception in return to NY

MIKE FITZPATRICKAP Sports Writer

Published
6:15 pm EDT, Tuesday, April 24, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jose Reyes ditched the dreadlocks. He still wears that signature smile.

Saying it was an exciting and emotional day, Reyes returned to Citi Field on Tuesday for the first time since leaving the New York Mets to sign with Miami. He was taken aback by the media swarm waiting for him in the Marlins dugout, then waved to the crowd after a video tribute and received a mix of cheers -- and louder boos -- most of the night.

"The funny thing is, when I got here today, I didn't even know where the visitors' clubhouse is. So I was kind of lost," Reyes said.

The speedy shortstop, who spent his first nine seasons in New York, nearly opened the three-game series with a bang when he hit a long drive to left-center leading off the first inning against Johan Santana. Rookie center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis ran it down, though, and robbed Reyes of extra bases with a leaping catch at the 385-foot sign.

A homegrown star, Reyes was a fan favorite with the Mets before signing a $106 million, six-year contract with the division-rival Marlins in December. He said New York never made an effort to keep him once he became a free agent, but he has put all that behind him.

In the time since Reyes left, Mets owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz reached an agreement in court with the trustee for Bernard Madoff's fraud victims that gives the club more financial certainty.

Would he have stayed if the Mets had offered him the same deal the Marlins did?

"It's too late to think about that," Reyes said. "I know they have other kinds of problems there. I feel bad, I feel sorry for them. I mean, this is a business, man. ... I can't think about that (anymore). Like I said, I have a lot of respect for the owners of the New York Mets and everything and I wish all those people the best there."

He also said he won't feel hurt if the Mets give buddy David Wright a lucrative, multiyear contract.

Smiling and laughing on the Miami bench as he answered questions from reporters for 12 1/2 minutes, Reyes said he couldn't wait to see the package of highlights from his tenure with the Mets that the team had planned for him.

They showed it on the big video board minutes before the first pitch and Reyes watched from the dugout. The screen then read "Thanks for the Memories!"

Reyes popped onto the field, smiled and waved quickly to a sparse crowd that was still filing in and then disappeared back underneath.

"I don't need to watch the video to know how good he was. I saw it firsthand," Mets manager Terry Collins said before the game.

Cameras clicked away as Reyes came onto the field for batting practice and enthusiastically greeted a few former teammates. Not everyone at Citi Field gave him a warm greeting, though.

A group of fans in left field chanted his name and held a sign thanking him. Three others perched behind the Miami dugout called Reyes a traitor and wore big, red Xs over his name and number as he played catch next to Marlins buddy Hanley Ramirez.

"Hanley, don't stand in front of Reyes. He may stab you in the back," one yelled.

The announced attendance was 20,192, the smallest of the season at Citi Field.

Reyes came out of the season finale last year after a bunt single his first time up, a move designed to protect his NL batting title that also irked many fans. He said his biggest disappointments with the Mets were only making the playoffs once and not winning a World Series. But he said he has plenty of great memories from his time in New York. He is the club's career leader in runs, stolen bases and triples.

"One thing that I feel proud (of) is I gave you 100 percent when I was healthy on the field," Reyes said. "I gave you everything that I have every day. ... And I have a lot of respect for the fans here because they supported me all the way through. But I don't know what I'm going to expect, because you never know."

Reyes had his dreadlocks cut in the offseason to conform with Marlins policy. He stayed at his Long Island home Monday night and said folks were friendly in welcoming him back to New York when he walked around the city earlier in the day.

"That's good to see. That means they still know me here," he said.

Reyes said he did watch a few innings of the Mets' doubleheader Monday -- they were swept by San Francisco.

Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen marveled at how much energy and enthusiasm Reyes brings to the ballpark every day and said he's been an excellent influence on his buddy Ramirez.

"People should be excited to see this kid back here," Guillen said. "I think he earned every penny they paid him."

The Mets brought in the fences at Citi Field this season. Reyes peeked out of the dugout to look at the new dimensions for the first time and was asked if he could still leg out a triple.

"If I hit it in the gap, it's OK. I'm still going to make it, so don't worry," he said with a smile.